When did you last check your Facebook Ad preferences?

We're all now used to seeing targeted ads/content when we use Facebook. Most brands don't get any engagement without using them, so they rely on spending money to reach us - their adoring public. 

Most of us also know how sophisticated this targeting is. We're served ads based on who we are, and also on how we use Facebook. 

It's just that the content you click on doesn't necessarily always reflect your world view - and this can have a radical effect on the ads and promoted posts you see.

How do we know this and why should you bother?

If you've ever created a Facebook ad, you'll probably have seen that you can segment your target audience in remarkably granular ways. 

You can choose to show a post to people who watch Game of Thrones, but not The Walking Dead. Over-65s who live in Brighton, but not Worthing. Or 25-34-year-old women who love Prosecco, but not Champagne.

But how does Facebook know all this? As I mentioned earlier, it's often about what you click on - and Facebook remembers it all!

And here's the part where you - the user - come in. There's a rarely-used part of your Facebook settings called Ad Preferences that controls how brands can target you.

Go on, open it up in a new tab now.

It happily tells you that: 

We show you adverts based on that things that we think you care about. Your preferences include information from your profile as well as actions you take on and off Facebook. Add or remove preferences to see adverts that you'll find relevant.

Crucial is that last sentence: "add or remove preferences..." You may not realise it, but you have control. 

Split into 11 sections, ranging from 'Business & Industry' to 'Travel, Places & Events', it holds info about who or what you like - apparently. 

As you can see, things that chime with me include the city in which I live, the Tate art gallery and the county where I live.

However, it's not all plain sailing. When I checked yesterday, I also preferred 'Tractors' and the 'South Tyrolean People's Party', neither of which I'd put top of my favourite things.

You can choose to keep or dispense with those words, brands, things or people that mean nothing to you.

Removing them is as simple as clicking on an 'x' - and it means - given you can't avoid ads on Facebook - you'll at least get ones that are relevant.

So take 5 minutes to make some simple tweaks and improve your Facebook experience - you deserve it.

I, for one, can now look forward to a life on Facebook without Italian mountain farmers.

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